Scalping apparatus



Sept. 8, 1936- L. BURMEISTER SCALPING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l r jivww-d'z;

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 8, 1936- L. BURMEISTER SCALPING APPARATUS 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1934 INVENTQR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.05am some srrsns'rus 1.0m mum Wis. Application March as, m4. serial m. mau- 4 cum-i. (c1. m-szs) This invention relates to improvements in the scalping apparatus.

In the milling of wheat, the raw material or wheat kernel is first tempered by treatment with water or the like and then run thru a series of breaking, separating, and sizing steps toproduce the final 'product, which is wheat flour. A certain amount of so -called ash is present in all wheat kernels, and while a limited percentage of ash is desirable in flour. any amount over a certain maximum is detrimental; as it aifects the color and quality of the product. i Heretofore, it has been common practice to first run the wheat kernels thru disintegrating or reducing rolls and then deliver the crushed material to bolting devices. These bolting devices may consist of a plurality of superimposed spiral sievesof bolting device, the latter is gyrated or caused.

to rotate in a horizontal plane. The first step which takes place in the ordinary bolter is the scalping operation, which is accomplished with relatively coarse sieves. Due to the type of movement, i. e. horizontal movement, imparted to the bolter, there is necessarily a large amount of friction between the sieves and the crushed material;

so that an undesirable grinding action takes place. This grinding action causes powdering of the particles of wheat kernels, whichcause ash,

' and therefore permits a relatively large percentby imparting a vertical bouncing movement to the age of D wder.ed ash to passthru all the sieva and enter into the final product. If this powdering action did not take place, a large percentage of the ash would remain in coarse form and be discharged without forming part of the flour.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved method of milling wherein the scaiping operation is performed independently of the bolter in a manner which minimizes the amount of powdering action and therefore limits the amount of ash in the flour.

- A more specific object ofv the invention is to provide a method as above described wherein the scalping step is performed in advance of the bolter crushed fragments instead of a horizontal grinding movement.

box wherein the latter is provided with a novel of the sieve.

A further object oLthe invention is to provide 1 an improved method forthep'urpose described which materially improves the 'quality and whitenessoftheflourandwhichisotherwise well adapted to accomplish the objects sought.

with the above and other objects in view, the an. invention consists of the improved art of millingand all the parts and combinationsthereof as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof;

in the accompanyins drawings, illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred formof the g5 invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same partsin all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side eievational view of the improved app rstm. parts being broken away; V

Fig. 21s a horizontal sectional view thru the so upper portion of the frame, showing the sieve boxinplan-view: I i

Fig. 3'is enrol-sectional view taken on line of m, 1; I

5 is a vertical sectional viewgtahen thrn one end of the driving shaft and eccentric mechanism, parts being brokenaway; V p 6 is an s i n view illustrating the support for andladjustment of the coil springs in connection with the sieveboxmounting:-, I Fig. 'l is a atic side elevational view, showing one end of the sieve and the type I of vibratory movement imparted thereto; and i Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic viewshowing thevarioim steps in the improved method of milling,

Referring more particularly to thedrawings. a suitable open ,frame is provided for. supporting thesievebox I; andsaidframeconsistsofvertical angle bars I and II on eachside, connected. by upper and lower horizontal angle members llandll. v Securedtoeachsidebetweeutheverticalangie ll 4 a k n 85 Fig 1;'

bars 3 by means of bolts I3 is a plate i4. Each plate is formed with a central aperture and with four perforations for the reception of bolts l5, which serve to secure a spring positioning member or plate It in position. The latter member is cast with an outwardly extending, circular flange I] and with a central opening I lot less diameter than the flange. Adjacent the inner side of the flange, are four pairs of spaced brackets l9. Between each pair of brackets is positioned acupped spring washer 20, substantially T-shaped in cross-section, engaged by bolts 20' for adjustably moving the cupped spring washers (see Fig. 6).

Secured to the lower side of the sieve boxat each end thereof by means of clamps 2i, are supporting shafts 22 and 23. Each of said shafts projects beyond the sides of the sieve box and has its ends formed with squared hub members 24 having four studs 25 projecting therefrom. Coil springs 26 are positioned within the plate it with their ends engaged between the studs 25 and the reduced inner portions of the cupped spring washers 20. The plates I5 at the lower end of the sieve box are identical in construction to the plates at the other end and heretofore described in detail. These plates are also mounted on larger plates 21 similar to the plates I 4. The plates 21, however, are each formed with four slotted openings 23 thru which the bolts 29 extend which secure the plate I 6 in position. Thus,- the plate It may be adjusted laterally with respect to the plate 21.

Instead of being secured directly to the vertical angle bars II, the plates 21 have offset clamping strips 33 secured to their rear side edges by bolts,3l; so that the plate 21 may be clamped in any desired vertical position on the angle strips in, as shown in Fig. 2. By loosening the bolts 3|, the position may be readily changed,

altho the bolts 23 must also be loosened to permit movement of the latter with respect to the slots 23.

In order to further hold the plate 21 in a desired position of adjustment, an adjustment screw 32 is employed which connects a lower angle strip 33 of the plate 21 with an angle strip 34 positioned across the space between the angle bars "I. Nuts 35 and 35' are utilized to lock the adjustment member 32 in a desired position.

- From the above, it may be seen that the sieve box is mounted on the shafts or supporting axles 22 and 23 with the latter having a yielding hearing at each end. Thus, th'e sieve box is mounted so as to be yieldingly'floating.

Journalled in bearings 36 beneath the central portion of the sieve box-is a shaftfl (seeFigs. land 3), said shaft having a pulley 33 mounted rigidly thereon for connection with a driving source to rotate the shaft :1. Each end of the shaft 31' has keyed thereto a hub member 33 carrying a fixed weight member 43. Threaded in the weight member 43 are rods 4|, and slidably mounted on said rods against the tension of coil springs 42, is a movable weight member 43. A central guiding rod 44 has one end secured to a transverse bar 45 and has its other end threaded in the hub 33, the weight being movable on said rod. A collar 45 may be provided on the rod to be held in any desired position by means of a set screw 41 to limit the outward movement of the weight 43.

The above construction is such that when the shaft 31 is rotated, the weight 43 on each end will move outwardly against the'tension of the coil springs 42 due to centrifugal forceto provide a rotating eccentric weight structure which will cause the sieve box to vibrate in a vertical plane. Due to the sliding mounting of the weight and the coil spring structure, it will be seen that the outward position of the weight will vary in accordance with the speed of rotation, that is, the faster the shaft is rotating, the more pressure there will be on the springs and the farther outwardly the weight will be permitted to move. This results in a smooth, balanced vibration.

It is preferred to have the vertically extending coil springs 26 in connection with the sieve box mounting of greater strength than the horizontally extending springs, so that when the sieve box is being vibrated due to the action of the eccentric weight, the hub portions 24 of the sieve box supporting shafts will move thru a substantially oval course in a vertical plane, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 7. This exact action maybe varied to meet requirements by manipulation of the adjustment bolts 20'.

The sieve box is formed with a plurality of sieves 48 and 49, and each sieve may be supported at its side edges as at 50 and 5| and also by central longitudinal strips 52 and 53 (see Figs. 1 and 3).

Mounted on the strips 52 and 53 above the screening, are a plurality of blocks 54, each block having one end of a flexible metallic strip 55 secured thereto, as at 56. The other end of the strip has secured th'ereto an impact member 51, preferably in the form of a hard rubber ball. A coil spring 58 is positioned beneath an intermediate portion of the strip 55 on a guiding bolt 59. The construction is such that when the sieve box is vibrated, the flexible strips 55'will vibrate against the tension of the coil springs 58, causing the impact members 51 to strike the screening and thereby dislodge particles which may become jammed in the mesh.

The raw material may be inserted into an inlet opening 60 which directs it onto the upper screen. The upper screen may terminate short of the end of the sieve box, as at 6|, to deposit material on the end of the lower screen 49; and with such an arrangement, there may be a common discharge 62 for the two screens. It may, however, be desirable to have the upper screen 43 of full length and provided with a separate discharge spout.

Material which passes thru both the screens, falls on the bottom of the sieve box and is discharged from a lower spout 53.

In the usual process of milling. the raw material, after being tempered by treament with water or the like, is run thru disintegrating or reducing rolls 64 (see Fig. 8) and then directly into a bolter 55. As before explained, the usual bolter consists of a plurality of superimposed spiral sieves for gradually separating the crushed fragments into bran, sizing, and flour; and the bolter is gyrated or caused to rotate in a horizontal plane. The first screens in the usual bolter perform a scalping operation, and due to the type of movement, 1. e. horizontal movement, imparted to the bolter, there is a large amount of friction between the sieves and the crushed material; so that non -desirable grinding action takes place. This grinding action causes powdering of the particles of wheat kernels, which cause ash,. and therefore permits a relatively large percentage of the powdered ash to pass thru all of the sieves and enter into the final product.

With applicants improved method, the scalping screens or sieves of the bolter are eliminated; and applicants improved apparatus, designated generally by the numeral 63 in Fig. 8, is inserted between the reducing rolls B4 and the bolter 65.

' Due to the novel type of movement imparted to the sieve box in the unit 66, illustrated in Fig. 'I and before referred to, a bouncing action will take place on the sieves, as indicated by the arrows in said figure, so that all of the particles will jump above the plane of the sieves and then back onto the sieves, with the finer particles being thereby shaken thru. Thus, the scalping is performed without the usual friction resulting from the scalping operation in the bolter wherein the material is merely caused to rotate horizontally while in contact with the screening. As a result, the amount of ash which passes thru both of the screens of the unit' 66 and into the bolter from the discharge spout 63 is reduced to a minimum. The material is then actedupon by the bolter with the scalping portion of the bolter eliminated, sov

that the bolter does all of the other usual operations. The coarser material which does not pass thru both of the screens of applicants unit 65 may be directed back to a second set of reducing rolls, as indicated by the arrows 51 in Fig. 8, and re-crushed. It may be then directed into a second scalping apparatus 66' for further operation.

Thus, it will be seen that applicant has provided a substantial change in procedure by substituting a particular type of vibratory action in performing the scalping operation and that this operation is performed independently of the bolter and prior to passage of material therethru.

'Experiments have proven that this method of procedure is greatly superior to the methods of procedure now in use and that the amount of ash in the final product is maintained at a desirable percentage, so that the flour is of unusual whiteness and of superior quality.

Altho only one form of the invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; and it is to be understood that the apparatus itself may be susceptible to various adaptations other than the milling of wheat. All of such changes and adaptations are therefore contemplated as may come Within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. Scalping apparatus comprising a sieve box into which crushed kernels are introduced, means for supporting said sieve box in an inclined position, said supporting means including a plural-- ity of yielding. members at each end of the sieve box acting at right angles to each other, each yielding member having a fixed axial position at an angle to the plane of the sieve box, means for causing movement of the sieve box on said yielding members, and means for adjusting said yielding members to provide for movement of the sieve box in its entirety inan elliptical course wherein the longer axis of said elliptical movement is at an angle to the plane of the sieve box to cause the crushed kernels to be bounced vertically on the sieves in such a manner as to minimize friction on said kernels.

2. Scalping apparatus comprising a sieve box into which crushed kernels are introduced, means for supporting said sieve box in an inclined position, said supporting means including a plural' ity of sets of opposed yielding members at each end of the sieve box acting-at right angles to each other, each yielding member having a fixed axial position at an angle to the plane of the sieve box, means for causing movement of the sieve box on said yielding members, and means for adjusting said yielding members to provide for movement of the sieve box in vits entirety in an elliptical course wherein the longer axis of said elliptical movement is at an angle to the plane of the sieve box to cause the crushed kernels to be bounced vertically on the sieves in such a manner as to minimize friction on said kernels.

8. Scalping apparatus comprising a sieve box into which crushed kernels are introduced, means for supporting said sieve box in an inclined position, said supporting means including a plurality of yielding members at each end of the sieve box acting at right angles to each other, each yielding member having a fixed axial position at an angle to the plane of the sieve box, revolving eccentric weight means for causing movement of the sieve box on said yielding members, and means for adjusting said yielding members to provide for movement of the sieve box in its entirety in an elliptical course wherein the longer axis of said elliptical movement is at an angle to the plane of the sieve box to cause the crushed kernels to be bounced vertically on the sieves in such a manner as to minimize friction on said kernels.

4. Scalping apparatus comprising a sieve box into which crushed kernels are introduced, means for supporting said sieve box in an inclined position, said supporting means including a plurality of sets of opposed yielding members at each end of the sieve box acting at right angles to each other, each yielding member having a fixed axial position at an angle to the plane of the sieve box, revolving eccentric weight means for causing movement of the sieve box on said yielding members, and means for adjusting said yielding members to provide-for movement of the sieve box in its entirety in an elliptical course wherein the longer axis or said elliptical movement is at an angle to the plane of the sieve box to cause the crushed kernels to be bounced vertically 0n the sieves in such a'manner as to minimize friction on said kernels.

. LOUIS BURMEIS'EER. 

